Uttarakhand state (in red) along the border with China.
There remains some confusion if armed Chinese troops really entered Indian territory in the state of Uttarakhand a week ago, but the Indian government said the issue has been clarified.
"There was no incursion, just transgression which has been settled," said Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar. "There is a well defined mechanism to settle such transgressions."
He dismissed early reports of an armed incursion by troops of the People's Liberation Army along the ill-defined border. Parrikar pointed out the India-China border is not formally demarcated.
"There are areas where both sides have differing perceptions of LAC (Line of Actual Control). Barhoti (Uttarakhand) is one such area," said Parrikar at the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament.
Uttarakhand shares a 350 kilometer long boundary with China. There have been Chinese incursions in the past, however.
Early reports claimed armed Chinese troops violated the border on land and by air in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on July 19. It said Chinese troops took up positions in the demilitarized zone while Chinese helicopters flew in Indian air space for over five minutes.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat at first confirmed an incursion by the Chinese troops into the Chamoli district immediately following the incident. He described the development as "something to worry about."
Rawat later corrected his allegation, however, and instead said they had noted an increase in the number of Chinese troops along the border. He said there was no incursion into territory held by India.
For its part, China said there is a need to verify authenticity of the reports alleging the incursion by its troops.
"We still need to verify the authenticity of the report you mentioned," said Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, the Chinese spokesman.
"I would like to emphasis here that Chinese border defense troops always abided by relevant agreements signed between the two countries."
He asserted Chinese troops "always conducted activities on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control. We are committed to maintaining peace and stability along the China-India border."
